Trevor S.

Life on the Frontier

 

Table of Contents

Chapter 1 Shelter……………………..page 3

Farm houses……………..……….……….page 3

Forts………………………….…………….page 4

Chapter 2 Native Americans………….page 5

Territory ………………………………...….page 5

Native american V.S. frontiersmen……...page 5

Chapter 3 Geography………...………..page 6

The perfect farming land………..……….page 6

Rivers, hills, and valleys……………...…...page 6

Conclusion

Glossary

Life on the Frontier

By 1607, Frontiersmen begin to start their journey in the wild, but living alone isn't very brilliant with wild animals and savage natives roaming around. The woods are full of lakes and trees, but is exploring the smart thing to do? Building forts and finding food are necessary, but first you would need to figure out if the nearest native tribes are friendly… if any are.

Chapter 1-Shelter  

Shelter was a necessary need for survival. From farmhouses to heavily armed forts, any shelter would do in a situation that the frontiersmen had to face.

Farmhouses

The frist house a frontiersman would build would be a small 1-2 room cabin with the help of neighbors or slaves. Furnishings were few, only wealthier frontiersmen had beds and chairs, most had to sleep on the hard packed earth which stood in place of a wooden floor back East in the older colonies.Cooking equipment was simple, a cast iron pot and a pan. A water well was located  just outside the house and possibly a cow pen to keep livestock. Most houses had a door lock to keep away unwanted Native Americans and wild animals. The lock was a board that would slide into place being supported by two braces on either side of the door when needed. But where did they build their homes you might ask? First they would find a small clearing and chop down trees around it to make it bigger, that is if you had the time. If not, frontiersmen would do the quicker (but less accurate) way of removing trees . They would do this by cutting slits in the trees to stop the flow of sap, soon the trees would die and fall over. This is called “deading.”

Forts

Forts were used on the edge of the frontier where your neighbors were at least 10 miles away. Forts were usually made out of logs pointed upwards in the ground, this is called a log palisade. Researchers say that forts offered more protection than normal houses but were much harder and took longer to build. Most forts were made when a few  families helped build one.This was the smart thing to do, because the bigger the fort was the better it could protect the neighboring people. Some forts would have the entrance above ground and have retractable ladders to keep the enemy out. Other forts would have towers with slits or cut out windows in them on the four corners of the fort. All successful efforts usually had the necessary resources such as  wells, springs, small farms, and a pen for livestock. 

        A frontier fort from Google Images

Chapter 2-Native Americans

Most Native Americans were non-friendly, but the ones that were, liked trading with the frontiersmen. Unfriendly Native Americans were brutal and burned everything to the ground, mainly because they didn't like colonists settling into their areas. So when the frontiersmen ‘invaded’ their land, they attacked.

Territory

Territory played a big part in whether natives were hostile or not. If frontiersmen wanted more land, the only land available was claimed by Native Americans already hunting and living in those areas, however frontiersmen didn't know that, so they took it. This made the Native Americans very angry. Historians believe that since Native Americans did not claim their land like Europeans do, colonists claimed it for themselves not realizing this would cause conflict. Technically Native Americans only had legal claim to 3 percent of America not knowing its size and boundaries, therefore the European Colonists legally owned 97 percent of what is now America. This is because most of the Native Americans just wanted to occupy and live in this land, not control it. But the Native Americans felt they were getting pushed out, and that is why some of them decided to bring out the    

Tomahawks and fight for their homeland.

Native Americans Versus Frontiersmen 

The Native Americans were very different from frontiersmen. Although the frontiersmen had less fancy technology at the time, the natives were still very primitive in their eyes. And Native Americans thought they the new muskets and armor were very well… new! The musket was long and had more firepower but it took longer to load. The bow was easy to load and not hard to use but lacked firepower and the bayonet. 17th Century colonist militia usually wore armor but movement was slow and you have to admit they looked pretty funny. Native Americans didn't have armor and were able to move very quickly. Native Americans lived in tribes with a tribal leader, frontiersmen however lived with their families and maybe a couple other people if they lived in a fort. Native Americans sometimes lived in little huts. Frontiers men on the other hand lived in houses and forts.

Chapter 3-Geography

        Geography played a big part in whether you survived or not. If your land wasn't good for farming, you were already going down hill. Speaking of hills, a hill is a perfect place for a fort. Unfortunately, building a couple of towers on a hill is like sending up a beacon to tell nearby natives to come and fight!

The perfect farming land

Good farming land was needed because exploration was impossible without your veggies! Most people couldn't live off of just meat, they had to make a farm. You might think a small farm was easy, you just set up a plow on the nearest donkey and plant seeds that would grow in a few minutes… nope. First, you had to find a good strong horse and hitch up a plow.This would make rows which then you would plant seeds in. Planting seeds was simple enough, you would throw seeds on the plowed land. Next you would have to water and nurture the plants until they were fully grown. After that you have to harvest them! Grab your sickle and feast on wheat!

Rivers, hills, and valleys

Most land was good for farming and building houses on, but some land was too rocky for houses and too dry for crops. If there is too much rain in one spot you'll have soggy crops. Large bodies of water made good fishing and trade. Ships and other boats were much faster and could carry more goods than wagons, they also offered more protection and safety. Most civilian ships did not have cannons because King George was afraid they would start a revolution. Unfortunately for him, that didn't work.

Conclusion

Overall, living on the frontier was very difficult.The constant threat from Native Americans and wild animals never ended. Clearly forts and houses were the best shelter options and building your house near a water source was an obvious choice, but if you lived on the frontier, what would you do?

Resources

Credit to google images for pictures and diagrams,I also credit the book Frontier Living for information on my topic. Credit to 1740 American Farm for further information on frontier survival. I again credit Frontier Living for the name idea.

 

Glossary

Furnishings……………furnishings are furniture that you put somewhere 

Livestock……………....animals that you put in a pen such as cattle and pigs 

Hostile………………….mad:angry and aggressive:not friendly

Primitive………………..old;not new 

Would you survive? 

Find out at www.frontier.org today!